A Valentine For The Cowboy

Both she and her aunt laughed the rest of the way home.

Chapter One (#u4f434a10-826c-5f5d-ad3f-76d0131031ca)

Eli drove to the ranch house with Wymon and their mother. He raced upstairs so he could take his daughter home, but Solana stopped him at the door to the bedroom.

“She’s asleep. Don’t wake her up now. I’ll watch her tonight and you can come get her in the morning. You’ve been going nonstop for months. It’s time you had a break.”

He reached out and hugged her. “You already gave me one. Toly won another gold buckle tonight. He’s racking them up! Thanks so much for watching Libby so we could all be there to support him.”

“She’s a little angel. Luis and I couldn’t have children so there are no grandchildren. Libby fills a hole in my heart.”

He nodded. “She’s my whole heart.”

“I know. Luis and I promise to take good care of her tonight.”

“You don’t have to tell me that.” He shoved the cowboy hat back on his head. “If you’re sure you’re okay, I’ll be over at seven to fix her breakfast.”

“Why don’t you sleep in?”

“Even if I want to, I’m always awake by six anyway.”

“You’re still too young to be saying things like that.”

“Didn’t you know I’ve aged since my divorce?” he teased, but there was a kernel of truth in what he’d said.

Solana’s expression sobered. “I do know,” she murmured. “So does your mom. Now go on home and relax.”

Eli walked back down the hall to the stairs. He could hear voices coming from the living room and found Roce talking privately with their mother. They appeared almost secretive. Wymon must have gone home to his own ranch house, and Toly would probably be out celebrating late with Mills after their win.

“You two are so quiet that I’m beginning to wonder if something’s going on that I don’t know about.”

His mom stared at him in surprise. “Why would you say that?”

“I don’t know. When I walked into the ranch house earlier today, I learned you were up at the gem store with Libby. A strange truck was outside.” He eyed Roce. “Solana told me you’d brought a girl home with you. When I drove up there, I found you and a woman I’ve never seen before holding my daughter while picking out a stone.” A drop-dead gorgeous woman. “Are you with me so far?”

Roce broke into a grin. “Mom? Shall we tell him?”

She nudged him. “Oh, don’t be such a terrible tease.”

Somehow Eli didn’t feel like laughing. Anything but.

His mom moved toward him. “Eli? What’s eating at you?”

“I just wondered if you and that girl might be serious.”

Roce’s eyes narrowed. After a silence he said, “Not yet, bro, but I have to admit she’s a hottie.”

“Oh, for Heaven’s sake, Roce—” their mother chastised him. “Brianna Frost came up to the shop to pick out a stone for her uncle. He plans to give his wife a ring for an anniversary present. Roce had been to the saddlery for some gloves. She asked if she could follow him to the ranch because she’d never been to the shop before.”

“Maybe you didn’t know I’ve been caring for her uncle’s dog, Taffy,” Roce chimed in. “To be friendly, I asked her if she and her family would like to join ours to watch the rodeo. Nothing more, nothing less. Let me tell you something. The day I find the woman of my dreams, everyone will know about it.”

Ridiculous as it was, those words caused some of the tension to leave Eli’s body.

Their mom turned to Roce. “What day will that be, my second born? How many more years do I have to live before that happens?”

“I’m not ready to settle down yet. You know that.” He gave her a hug.

“You’re impossible,” she muttered. But she said it on a burst of laughter.

The need to escape drove Eli out of the room. “Solana’s watching Libby tonight,” he called over his shoulder. “I’ll be back in the morning.”

By the time he reached his truck, he was out of breath. He pressed his forehead against the steering wheel. Seeing Brianna Frost at the rodeo in her white cowboy hat convinced him he hadn’t imagined his attraction to her at the gem shop.

Damn, was he ever glad she wasn’t Roce’s girlfriend.

* * *

MONDAY NIGHT, BRIANNA drove to the gem shop with her uncle. Her aunt thought they’d gone grocery shopping. They’d have to pick up a few items on their way home so she wouldn’t get suspicious upon their return.

Mrs. Clayton greeted them when they walked into the warm, brightly lit store. But the first thing Brianna saw was little blue-eyed Libby with her floppy brunette curls, toddling around in front of the counter with her helicopter push toy. She was dressed in pink camo Wrangler jeans and a white-and-pink top with a ruffled hem. With Libby’s matching pink cowboy boots, Brianna thought she’d never seen such an adorable child in her life!

“Hi, Libby.”

The toddler recognized Brianna and pushed her toy toward her. Brianna got down on her haunches to examine her outfit. “Don’t you look good enough to eat. Uncle Clark? This is Libby Clayton, Eli Clayton’s daughter.”

He tousled her curls. “She’s a picture all right.”

When he reached the counter Brianna heard him say, “Alberta? What a blessing to have such a beautiful granddaughter.”

“Don’t I know it!”

Brianna encouraged Libby to push her toy around. After a minute of doing an excellent job, Libby dropped it and held up her arms. “You want me to hold you? Oh, you little darling.” She scooped her up and walked over to the counter with her.

Her uncle was examining the 1.5-carat pink sapphire solitaire. The way his eyes glowed as he looked at it told Brianna she’d chosen a winner. “I’ve never seen such a brilliant stone. I didn’t know a pink sapphire could be such a deep color. Joanne will love it.”

“It’s definitely an eye-catcher. Which setting would you like?” Mrs. Clayton had put half a dozen rings on the velvet. He studied them.

“Which ring do you like, honey?”

“I like the white gold, but don’t let what I think influence you.”

“I think that would be my choice, too,” the older woman concurred.

“Then let’s do it, Alberta.”

“Give me Joanne’s size and I’ll go in the back. It will only take me a few minutes to mount the stone. While you’re here, maybe you’d like to look at some other stones.”

She put out a display of sapphires sorted by colors in trays that looked like cupcake tins. The natural stones mined from the Sapphire Mountains came in every color. When they were heated, their colors grew more intense. Some were already a deep hue, but those like the one Brianna had picked out were rare.